Red and Blue set up Challenger final

Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 0:32 [IST]

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Cuttack, Oct 25 (UNI) An uninspiring India Green lost to defending champions India Blue by 19 runs in the truncated third and last league match of the Challenger Series for the NKP Salve Trophy at the Barabati Stadium here today.

Chasing 219 in 45 overs, India Green were all out for 199 in 44 overs. Cheteswar Pujara delayed the defeat with a defiant 65, while Yusuf Pathan contributed a breezy 34.

Earlier, Robin Uthappa continued his sizzling form with a valuable knock of 76 as defending champions India Blue overcame a disappointing start to post a competitive total of 218 in 44.2 overs.

Uthappa, who slammed 94 to help India Blue win the opening tie against India Red two days ago, mixed caution with aggression to script another fine knock that featured five hits to the rope and three over it.

Yusuf Pathan was the most successful India Green bowler, bagging three wickets. One of his victims happened to be his younger brother Irfan. However, R P Singh did the real damage to the Blues' innings, picking up two vital wickets.

Put into bat, India Blue were in dire straits, loosing opener Virat Kohli and captain Yuvraj Singh with only 19 runs on the board.

With the wicket playing slow and low from the beginning and the weather condition remaining overcast, batting looked to be a hazardous job.

Kohli survived a couple of anxious overs before being castled by R P Singh for nine. Captain Yuvraj Singh, who embroiled himself in a controversy for his alleged misbehavior, followed soon making just three. He attempted to pull R P Singh but the ball came late and kept low to disturb his timbers. It was second successive failure with the bat for Yuvi, who had hoped to regain his form by hitting a double century in the ongoing series.

It was, however, a relief for India Blue that Robin Uthappa continued with his good form and kept one end safe. He adjusted himself to the pitch-condition well, played with a lot patience and at the same time hit some well-timed fours and sixes.

India Blue made a partial recovery as Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik gathered 37 runs for the third wicket. Karthik, who has been struggling for runs, was unlucky today as he fell to a debatable decision.

Yusuf Pathan was the most successful India Green bowler, bagging three wickets. One of his victims happened to be his younger brother Irfan. However, R P Singh did the real damage to the Blues' innings, picking up two vital wickets.

Earlier, India Green skipper Mohammad Kaif won the toss and put India Blue into bat. Overnight rain and a delayed start reduced the match to 45 overs. For the Greens, Rajat Bhatia came in for Laxmi Ratan Shukla. The Blues made three changes, replacing Ajinkya Rahane, Ravinder Singh and S Trivedi by Yogesh Takawale, Arjun Yadav, and Ashok Dinda.